Leafs Nation can breathe a little easier: Phil Kessel will play on Thursday night.

The sight of Kessel leaving practice early Wednesday must have given the coaching staff of the already injury-depleted Maple Leafs fits. But head coach Randy Carlyle said after his teamâs optional gameday skate Thursday that Torontoâs leading goal scorer, with 15, and point-getter, with 25, will be in the lineup against the Dallas Stars at the Air Canada Centre as the Leafs look to put the brakes on a five-game losing skid.

âPhil Kessel will play tonight,â Carlyle told the media as he took to his podium, getting what was on everyoneâs mind out of the way quickly.